A Triage Nurse in a Busy Emergency Department (ED)assesses a Patient

question 26

Multiple Choice

A triage nurse in a busy emergency department (ED) assesses a patient who complains of 7/10 abdominal pain and states,"I had a temperature of 103.9° F (39.9° C) at home." The nurse's first action should be to

• A) assess the patient's current vital signs.
• B) give acetaminophen (Tylenol) per agency protocol.
• C) ask the patient to provide a clean-catch urine for urinalysis.
• D) tell the patient that it will 1 to 2 hours before being seen by the doctor.

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Definitions:

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts or rules of thumb that simplify decision making.

Rules Of Thumb

Rules of thumb are general principles derived from practice or experience, serving as informal guidelines rather than strict regulations or measures.

Knowledge Management

Refers to the process of creating, sharing, using, and managing the knowledge and information of an organization to achieve its objectives.

Delivering

The act of carrying something to a person or place, or the process of achieving something as promised or expected.